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Rescue Crews Free Humpback Whale Caught in Shark Nets on Australia's Gold Coast

A rescue team worked to free an eight-metre humpback whale tangled in a shark net on Australia’s Gold Coast on September 26.

Crews from Sea World and the Queensland Fisheries Marine Animal Release Team successfully disentangled the mammal from shark nets off Currumbin Beach.

“The rescue operation took around 45 minutes with the teams using specialised cutting equipment to remove all of the netting from the whale’s head” Sea World told Storyful.

“We would like to thank the community for calling these events in… these rescue efforts are extremely dangerous with the teams dealing with large animals weighing up to 30 tonnes and mixed with sea and weather conditions…,” Sea World said.

At least eight whales have been caught in Queensland nets in the past four months – seven of which occurred off the Gold Coast – media reported. Credit: Sea World via Storyful

Video Transcript

[WHALE SOUNDS]

- Try to just pick that up first.

[WHALE SOUNDS]

- Andy, you're right for us to keep going closer.

- [INAUDIBLE] you mind if we get that knife? Mind if we use that knife, Andy? Have it up front, or do you want [INAUDIBLE] ready to go.

[WHALE SOUNDS]

- It's pulling back. It's pulling back.

- While you are doing it, let me know if you think it's in the mouth.

- No, it's not definitely not in the mouth. It's just barnacles.

- All right, let's get a knife.

- You're up.

[WHALE SOUNDS]

- Just a barnacle.

- Yep.

- Kind of trading [INAUDIBLE].

- [INAUDIBLE] just come in and show them [INAUDIBLE].

- Heads going that way, mate.

- Get a rope.

- Whale coming.

[WHALE SOUNDS]

[WHALE BLOWING]

- We've got a side hook if you need to let go of him then. Hold that.

- Zip tie.

- Cable ties.

- Zip ties.

- Pull it--

- OK, hold that end.

- Yeah, sorry. You want to-- Andy, you want to get rid of that bit first?

- Do a few chips underneath this.

- Yep.

- Just try to build cut in there. Pulling in. All right.

- Hold it.

[WHALE SOUNDS]

- Cut. I'll get a [INAUDIBLE]. Cut now. Lean forward. Yeah, get that one. The one on that side. That's it. Get that, guys. Now up and under. Try to get that one that's flat on its nose. It's just this one big barnacle. Oh, we got it off. That barnacle just popped off. Yeah, there we go. Here we go. No, wait. Wait, let's get it off. Let's get it all off. Yes, it's all off. Yeah, got it here.

- It's OK.

- Totally clear.

- Totally clear.

- It's just on its big tail.

- Hold on. Hang on, it's swimming.

[WHALE SOUNDS]

- Lift that up.

- Completely free.

- Yeah, tail's free, look at that. Everything's free. Coming towards you.